|
on Environmental Economics |
| By: | UN Framwork Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC |
| Abstract: | This manual is provided as a reference tool to assist Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (hereafter referred to as the Convention) (Annex I Parties) in the implementation of their commitments related to the accounting of emissions and assigned amount under the Kyoto Protocol. |
| Keywords: | climate change, atmospheric concentrations, climate system, policies, GHGs, land use, forestry, United Nations, kyoto protocol, emissions, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2296&r=env |
| By: | H A C Prasad |
| Abstract: | The paper examines the genesis of Climate Change which has been referred to as the defining human development issue of our generation. Also studied is the impact of this problem in the global as well as Indian context. India is not immune from the impact of global warming and climate change. Major international developments related to Climate Change including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC ), 1992 and Kyoto Protocol are described along with significant meetings like those at Bali and Bangkok and outcomes at these international exchanges. While comparing perspectives of developed and developing countries on Climate Change, a detailed examination is made of the issues involved and India’s view point, especially the arguments for India to take up GHG abatement and our response to each of these at the international forums. [Working Paper No.2/2009-DEA]. |
| Keywords: | climate change, UNFCCC, kyoto protocaol, developing countries, internatinal exchanges, Bali, Bangkok, India, global warming, GHG, policy, environment, sustainable, emission reduction, technologies, technology |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2323&r=env |
| By: | Geijer, Erik (Dept of Forest Economics); Bostedt, Göran (Dept of Forest Economics); Brännlund, Runar (Department of Economics, Umeå University) |
| Abstract: | The main objective of this paper is to analyze the potential goal conflict between two of Sweden’s environmental objectives: Sustainable Forests and Reduced Climate Impact – or, more precisely, the conflict between forest conservation and the supply of wood fuel. To accomplish this, we use a forest sector model that includes the suppliers and major users of roundwood. The econometric results, based on a data set that spans 40 years, show that all the own price elasticities have the expected signs. Among the three forestry products, the supply and (long-term) demand of forest fuel seems to be most sensitive to a price change. In a second step, the estimated model is used to simulate the effect of increased forest conservation -- the Sustainable Forest objective -- on the supply of wood fuel. If oil is used as a substitute, Swedish emissions of greenhouse gases will increase by almost 0.92 percent, which indicates a clear conflict with the Reduced Climate Impact objective. |
| Keywords: | Goal conflict; Wood fuels; Forest sector model; Roundwood markets; Forest conservation |
| JEL: | C30 L73 Q41 Q48 |
| Date: | 2009–11–27 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:umnees:0794&r=env |
| By: | Eric Heymann |
| Abstract: | This conference is one of the most important and most complex in the history of climate policy negotiations. The objective is to form a treaty as a successor for the Kyoto Protocol. To enable a breakthrough on climate policy to be made in Copenhagen particularly vigorous efforts should be made to reach agreement on some key issues |
| Keywords: | kyoto protocol, copenhagen, climate policy, conference, negotiations, greenhouse gases, poorer countries, technology, funding, emissions, agriculture, forestry |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2309&r=env |
| By: | Zhang, ZhongXiang |
| Abstract: | With countries from around the world set to meet in Copenhagen to try to hammer out a post-2012 climate change agreement, no one would disagree that a U.S. commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions is essential to such a global pact. However, despite U.S. president Obama’s recent announcement that he will push for a commitment to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 17% by 2020, in reality it is questionable whether U.S. Congress will agree to specific emissions cuts, although are not ambitious at all from the perspectives of both the EU and developing countries, without imposing carbon tariffs on Chinese products to the U.S. market, even given China’s own recent announcement to voluntarily seek to reduce its carbon intensity by 40-45% over the same period. This dilemma is partly attributed to flaws in current international climate negotiations, which have been focused on commitments on the two targeted dates of 2020 and 2050. However, if the international climate change negotiations continue their current course without extending the commitment period to 2030, which would really open the possibility for the U.S. and China to make the commitments that each wants from the other side, the inclusion of border carbon adjustment measures seems essential to secure passage of any U.S. legislation capping its greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, the joint WTO-UNEP report indicates that border carbon adjustment measures might be allowed under the existing WTO rules, depending on specific design features and conditions for implementing them. Against this background, this paper argues that, on the U.S. side, there is a need to minimize the potential conflicts with WTO provisions in designing such border carbon adjustment measures. The U.S. also needs to explore with its trading partners cooperative sectoral approaches to advancing low-carbon technologies and/or concerted mitigation efforts in a given sector at an international level. Moreover, to increase the prospects for a successful WTO defence of the Waxman-Markey type of border adjustment provision, 1) there should be a period of good faith efforts to reach agreements among the countries concerned before imposing such trade measures; 2) WTO consistency also requires considering alternatives to trade provisions that could be reasonably expected to fulfill the same function but are not inconsistent or less inconsistent with the relevant WTO provisions; and 3) trade provisions should allow importers to submit equivalent emission reduction units that are recognized by international treaties to cover the carbon contents of imported products. Being targeted by such border carbon adjustment measures, China needs to, at a right time, indicate a serious commitment to address climate change issues to challenge the legitimacy of the U.S. imposing the carbon tariffs by signaling well ahead that it will take on binding absolute emission caps around the year 2030, and needs the three transitional periods of increasing climate obligations before taking on absolute emissions caps. The paper argues that there is a clear need within a climate regime to define comparable efforts towards climate mitigation and adaptation to discipline the use of unilateral trade measures at the international level. As exemplified by export tariffs that China applied on its own during 2006-08, the paper shows that defining the comparability of climate efforts can be to China’s advantage. Furthermore, given the fact that, in volume terms, energy-intensive manufacturing in China values 7-8 times that of India, and thus carbon tariffs impact much more on China than on India, the paper questions whether China should hold the same stance on this issue as India as it does now, although the two largest developing countries should continue to take the same positions on other key issues in international climate change negotiations. |
| Keywords: | Post-2012 climate negotiations; Border carbon adjustments; Carbon tariffs; Emissions allowance requirements; Cap-and-trade regime; Lieberman-Warner bill; Waxman-Markey bill; World Trade Organization; Kyoto Protocol; China; United States |
| JEL: | F18 Q48 Q56 Q54 Q43 Q58 |
| Date: | 2009–09–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:18976&r=env |
| By: | James B. Bushnell; Howard Chong; Erin T. Mansur |
| Abstract: | Tradable permit regulations have recently been implemented for climate change policy in many countries. One of the first mandatory markets was the EU Emission Trading System, whose first phase ran from 2005-07. Unlike taxes, permits expose firms to volatility in regulatory costs, but are typically accompanied by property rights in the form of grandfathered permits. In this paper, we examine the effect of this type of environmental regulation on profits. In particular, changes in permit prices affect: (1) the direct and indirect input costs, (2) output revenue, and (3) the carbon permit asset value. Depending on abatement costs, output price sensitivity, and permit allocation, these effects may vary considerably across industries and firms. We run an event study of the carbon price crash on April 25, 2006 by examining the daily stock returns for 90 stocks from carbon intensive industries and approximately 600 stocks in the broad EUROSTOXX index. In general, firms in industries that tended to be either carbon intensive, or electricity intensive, but not involved in international trade, were hurt by the decline in permit prices. In industries that were known to be net short of permits, the cleanest firms saw the largest declines in share value. In industries known to be long in permits, firms granted the largest allocations were most harmed. |
| JEL: | G14 H22 H23 Q50 Q54 |
| Date: | 2009–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:15572&r=env |
| By: | Quiroga, Miguel (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University); Sterner, Thomas (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University); Persson, Martin (department of Energy and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg) |
| Abstract: | We aim to study whether lax environmental regulations induce comparative advantages, causing the least-regulated countries to specialize in polluting industries. The study is based on Trefler and Zhu’s (2005) definition of the factor content of trade. For the econometrical analysis, we use a cross-section of 71 countries in 2000 to examine the net exports in the most polluting industries. We try to overcome three weaknesses in the empirical literature: the measurement of environmental endowments or environmental stringency, the possible endogeneity of the explanatory variables, and the influence of the industrial level of aggregation. As a result, we do find some evidence in favor of the pollution-haven effect. The exogeneity of the environmental endowments was rejected in several industries, and we also find that industrial aggregation matters.<p> |
| Keywords: | comparative advantage; environmental regulation; trade; pollution haven; Porter hypothesis |
| JEL: | F18 Q56 |
| Date: | 2009–12–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0412&r=env |
| By: | Moore, Rebecca (University of Georgia); Provencher, Bill (University of Wisconsin, Madison); Bishop, Richard C. (University of Wisconsin, Madison) |
| Abstract: | This article investigates the value of reducing non-point source pollution in Green Bay, WI. Using stated preference methods, we find the lower bound on the benefits of reducing runoff enough to universally increase water clarity by four feet is greater than $9 million annually. Using a unique survey design, we show that because current water clarity in Green Bay is spatially variable, the value that a household places on this universal improvement depends on the distance of the household's residence from the Bay and on the particular geospatial location of the residence. This has important implications for estimating aggregate benefits. |
| Date: | 2009–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ecl:wisagr:538&r=env |
| By: | Kopsch, Fredrik (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute) |
| Abstract: | <p>Designing an emissions trading scheme requires in-depth knowledge about several aspects. This paper attempts to clarify some important design points of the forthcoming emissions trading scheme for aviation under the EU ETS. Five general key points of system design are acknowledged and comparisons are made to previous and current emission trading schemes. Above all, it is argued that initial allocations of emission permits and the trade barrier between the aviation sector and EU ETS need to be carefully examined.<p> |
| Keywords: | Aviation; Tradable permits; System design; Policy |
| JEL: | L51 P48 Q52 Q53 Q58 |
| Date: | 2009–12–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:vtiwps:2009_014&r=env |
| By: | Iwata, Hiroki; Okada, Keisuke; Samreth, Sovannroeun |
| Abstract: | This paper attempts to estimate the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in the case of France by taking the role of nuclear energy in electricity production into account. We adopt the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to cointegration as the estimation method. Additionally, we examine the stability of the estimated models and investigate the Granger causality relationships between the variables in the system. The results from our estimation provide evidence supporting the EKC hypothesis and the estimated models are shown to be stable over the sample period. The uni-direction running from other variables to CO2 emissions are confirmed from the casualty tests. Specifically, the uni-directional causality relationship running from nuclear energy to CO2 emissions statistically provides evidence on the important role of nuclear energy in reducing CO2 emissions. |
| Keywords: | CO2; Environment; EKC; Nuclear; France; ARDL |
| JEL: | Q53 Q51 Q43 |
| Date: | 2009–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:18997&r=env |
| By: | Sulser, Timothy B.; Ringler, Claudia; Zhu, Tingju; Msangi, Siwa; Bryan, Elizabeth; Rosegrant, Mark W. |
| Keywords: | Green water, Blue water, Irrigation, Rainfed, Agriculture, technology, Investment, Impact, Climate change, Water resources, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:907&r=env |
| By: | Tamini, Lota D.; Larue, Bruno |
| Abstract: | An input distance function (IDF) is estimated to empirically evaluate and analyze the technical and environmental efficiencies of 210 farms located in the Chaudière watershed (Quebec), where water quality problems are particularly acute because of the production of undesirable outputs that are jointly produced with agricultural products. The true IDF is approximated by a flexible translog functional form estimated using a full information maximum likelihood method. Technical and environmental efficiencies are disaggregated across farms and account for spatial variations. Our results show that there is a significant correlation between technical and environmental efficiencies. The IDF is used to compute the cumulative Malmquist productivity index and the Fisher index. The two indices are used to measure changes in technology, profitability, efficiency, and productivity in response to the adoption of 2 selected best management practices (BMPs) whose objective is to reduce water pollution. We found significant differences across BMPs regarding the direction and the magnitude of their effect on profitability, efficiency and productivity. |
| Keywords: | Environmental efficiency; distance function; phosphorus runoff; productivity; profitability; technical efficiency. |
| JEL: | Q52 C43 Q25 |
| Date: | 2009–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:18964&r=env |
| By: | Omar J. Casas; Rosario Romera |
| Abstract: | In this paper a stochastic dynamic game formulation of the economics of international environmental agreements on the transnational pollution control, when the environmental damage arises from stock pollutant that accumulates, for accumulating pollutants such as CO2 in the atmosphere is provided. To improve the non-cooperative equilibrium among countries, we propose a different criterion to the minimization of the expected discounted total cost. Moreover, we consider Cooperative versus Noncooperative Stochastic Dynamic Games formulated as Markov Decision Processes (MDP). We propose a new alternative where the decision-maker wants to maximize the probability that some total performance of the dynamical game does not exceed a target value during a fixed period of time. The task requirements are therefore formulated as probabilities rather than expectations. This approach is different from the standard MDP, which uses performance criteria based on the expected value of some index. We present properties of the optimal policies obtained under this new perspective. |
| Keywords: | Stochastic optimal control, Markov Decision Processes, Stochastic Dynamic Programming, Stochastic Dynamic Games, International pollutant control, Environmental economics, Sustainability, Probability criterion |
| Date: | 2009–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cte:wsrepe:ws096019&r=env |
| By: | Garcia, Jorge (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University); Bluffstone, Randy (Department of Economics, Portland State University); Sterner, Thomas (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University) |
| Abstract: | We use firm-level data to study the adoption of Environmental Management Practices (EMPs) in the most polluting industrial sectors in Bulgaria, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia during the 1990 – 1998 period when these countries were in a transition away from a centrally planned economy. Despite the stickiness of a long established managerial regime and the declines in industrial output during this period, around 42% of the firms in our sample adopted Environmental Plans (EPs) and/or established Environmental Departments (EDs). The analysis reveals that enforcement and public disclosure of the environmental performance of firms are the most important forces behind the implementation of both of these EMPs. Also, but to a lesser extent, export oriented firms and larger firms are prone to adoption. Finally, we use a methodology that clarifies some of the links between different EMPs not addressed in earlier studies. Notably, once a firm has decided to adopt (or not adopt) an ED, additional increases in enforcement do not to lead to EP implementation.<p> |
| Keywords: | Environmental Management; Bivariate Analysis; Central and Eastern Europe |
| JEL: | C25 Q53 Q58 |
| Date: | 2009–12–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0411&r=env |
| By: | V K Raina |
| Abstract: | A State-of-Art Review of Glacial Studies, Glacial Retreat and Climate Change |
| Keywords: | Indian, Jammu and Kashmir, sikkim, Uttarakhand, climate change, glacier, Glaciologists, Accumulation, correlation, Himalyas, glaciers, geological survey of India, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2319&r=env |
| By: | Indrila Guha |
| Abstract: | The study uses an assessment of visitors’ travel costs to estimate the annual recreational value of the Sundarban. It calculates this to be at least INR 15 million (US$ 377,000) for domestic visitors alone. |
| Keywords: | travel costs, tigers, Indian, environmental, population, development, tourists, conservation, protection, domestic visitors, recreational value, sundarban, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ess:wpaper:id:2317&r=env |
| By: | Joël Houdet (Orée (association) - (-)); Charlotte Pavageau (AgroParisTech ENGREF - (-)); Michel Trommetter (Department of Economics, Ecole Polytechnique - CNRS : UMR7176 - Polytechnique - X, INRA - UMR GAEL INRA); Jacques Weber (CIRAD - Unité de recherche Ressources forestières et politiques publiques) |
| Abstract: | Biodiversity refers to the dynamics of interactions between organisms in changing environments. Within the context of accelerating biodiversity loss worldwide, firms are under increasing pressures from stakeholders to develop appropriate tools to account for the nature and consequences of their actions, inclusive of their influences on ecosystem services used by other agents. This paper presents a two-pronged approach towards accounting for changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services from a business perspective. First, we seek to analyze how Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) may be used by firms to identify and account for the interactions between their activities and biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES). To that end, we use dairy farming as a case study and propose general recommendations regarding accounting for changes in biodiversity and ecosystem services from a management accounting perspective. Secondly, after discussing the corporate reporting implications of the main environmental accounting approaches, we propose the underlying principles and structural components of a Biodiversity Accountability Framework (BAF) which would combine both financial and BES data sets; hence, suggesting the need for changes in business accounting and reporting standards. Because this would imply significant changes in business information systems and corporate rating practices, we also underline the importance of making the associated technological, organizational and institutional innovations financially viable. The BAF should be designed as an information base, coconstructed with stakeholders, for setting up and managing new modes of regulation combining tools for mitigating BES loss and remunerating BES supply. |
| Keywords: | Accounting, business, biodiversity, ecosystem services, indicators, management accounting, financial accounting, reporting, corporate social responsibility, standards, biodiversity accountability framework. |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00434450_v1&r=env |
| By: | Sandra Derissen (Department of Economics, University of Kiel, Germany); Martin Quaas (Department of Economics, University of Kiel, Germany); Stefan Baumgärtner (Department of Sustainability Sciences, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany) |
| Abstract: | Resilience as a descriptive concept gives insight into the dynamic properties of a system. Sustainability as a normative concept captures basic ideas of inter- and intragenerational justice. In this paper we specify the relationship between resilience and sustainable development. Based on an ecological-economic model where two natural capital stocks provide ecosystem services that are complements for human well-being, we derive conditions on the dynamics of the ecological-economic system and the sustainability criterion, such that a) resilience of the system in a given regime is both necessary and sufficient for sustainable development, b) resilience of the system in a given regime is sufficient, but not necessary, c) resilience of the system in a given regime is necessary, but not sufficient, and d) resilience of the system in a given regime is neither necessary nor sufficient for sustainable development. We conclude that more criteria than the resilience of the current state of the system have to be taken into account when designing policies for sustainable management of ecological-economic systems. |
| Keywords: | ecosystem resilience, sustainable development, management of ecological-economic systems |
| JEL: | Q20 Q56 Q57 |
| Date: | 2009–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lue:wpaper:146&r=env |
| By: | Tamini, Lota D. |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the factors that determine producers’ participation in agri-environment (AE) extension activities and their adoption of best management practices (BMPs) in Quebec (Canada). Data were collected from farmers in telephone interviews and the impacts of AE extension activities were analyzed using average treatment effect and local average treatment effect, estimated with non-parametric approaches. The average effects of AE extension activities are statistically significant for the majority of BMPs. We also find a statistically significant formal diffusion effect of producer‘s membership in an AE advisory club. The informal diffusion effect is statistically significant for BMPs that have visible impacts. |
| Keywords: | best management practices; producers’ behavior; agri-environmental extension; treatment effects |
| JEL: | Q16 Q56 C31 Q12 |
| Date: | 2009–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:18961&r=env |
| By: | Mélanie Jaeck; Robert Lifran |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to elicit the sensitivity of farmers to payment for agro-environmental services in a context of strong ecological and policy constraints. We present results from a choice experiment survey performed among the whole population of agricultural decision-makers (104) in the Camargue area. Several econometric models have been estimated, the most significant being the Latent Classes one. Three classes have been identified, two of them representing farmers with strong committment to a specified technology (either very chemicals intensive or organic farming ), the main class encompassing farmers complying with the norms of the PGI « Riz de Camargue » . The estimated parameters of the utility function, together with the parameter of the monetary attribute provided the monetary value of each relevant agro-ecological attribute and the associated outcomes (average and risk yield). Outcomes of the choice experiments make a strong case for differentiating incentives for spreading environmental friendly technologies. |
| Date: | 2009–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lam:wpaper:09-16&r=env |
| By: | Akpalu, Wisdom (Department of History, Economics and Politics, State University of New York at Farmingdale); Eggert, Håkan (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University); Vondolia, Godwin K. (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University) |
| Abstract: | Many resource users are not directly involved in the formulation and enforcement of resource management rules and regulations in developing countries. As a result, resource users do not generally accept such rules. Enforcement officers who have social ties to the resource users may encounter social disapproval and possible social exclusion from the resource users if they enforce regulations zealously. The officers, however, may avoid this social disapproval by accepting bribes. In this paper, we present a simple model that characterizes this situation and derives results for situations where officers are passively and actively involved in the bribery.<p> |
| Keywords: | Natural resource management; bribery; law enforcement; social exclusion |
| JEL: | Q20 Q28 Z13 |
| Date: | 2009–11–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0392&r=env |
| By: | Hossain, Mahabub |
| Keywords: | millions fed, food security, Agricultural policy, Environmental impacts, Minor irrigation, shallow tubewells, tube wells, boro rice, technological progress, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:917&r=env |
| By: | Thure Traber; Claudia Kemfert |
| Abstract: | We use a quantitative electricity market model to analyze the welfare effects of refunding a share of the emission trading proceeds to support renewable energy technologies that are subject to experience effects. We compare effects of supporting renewable energies under both perfect and oligopolistic competition with competitive fringe firms and emission trading regimes that achieve 70 and 80 percent emission reductions by 2050. The results indicate the importance of market power for renewable energy support policy. Under imperfect competition welfare improvements is maximized by refunding ten percent of the emission trading proceeds, while under perfect competition the optimal refunding share is only five percent. However, under both behavioral assumptions we find significant welfare improvements due to experience effects which are induced by the support for renewable energy. |
| Keywords: | emission trading, renewable energy support, experience effects, imperfect competition |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp951&r=env |
| By: | Eggert, Håkan (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University) |
| Abstract: | This article summarizes the contribution in fisheries economics by the Danish economist Jens Warming and gives a translation of his article “Aalegaardsretten” (The Danish Right to Eel Weir, 1931). Warming, provides an early reference on the problem of open access, precedes Arthur Pigou in suggesting an optimal tax as a correction measure, which I refer to as a Warming landing tax in fisheries, and explains how property rights in fisheries will lead to maximized resource rent and prevent overfishing. What is missing in Warming’s description of the problem is the dynamic aspect and that the economics of natural resources should be analyzed in a capital theoretic framework, which was later established by Anthony Scott (1955a; 1955b).<p> |
| Keywords: | Common pool resource management; fisheries; optimal tax; Pigou tax; property rights |
| JEL: | B20 H20 Q20 |
| Date: | 2009–12–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0401&r=env |
| By: | Eggert, Håkan (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University); Greaker, Mads (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University) |
| Abstract: | This study deals with fisheries and trade, focusing on developing countries. Fish is globally traded, and for many developing countries, it is an important net export good. In most of these countries, fisheries are often characterized by poorly defined property rights, accompanied by overcapitalization where too many vessels and fishermen catch too few fish from too small stocks. Management is often de facto open access, where vessels with or without permission to fish land as much as they can catch due to limited monitoring and enforcement activities. Even in developed countries, many fisheries are poorly managed, and recent studies indicate that marine ecosystems are in global decline. While trade generally is beneficial for growth and welfare, the combination of pure open access and trade liberalization may both reduce welfare and stocks for a country—an outcome that can be reinforced by the common use of bad subsidies. However, trade liberalization may have an additional positive impact by promoting the development of property rights in response to increased fish exploitation. The WTO can play a role by adopting a broader classification of subsidies to help eliminate bad subsidies, such as like public support of vessel construction, fuel subsidies, or fishing rights outside developing coastal countries provided at limited or zero cost. The WTO can also ssist by distinguishing good subsidies (e.g., improving fisheries management or improving monitoring and enforcement), which are desirable targets when rich countries allocate aid resource to developing countries.<p> |
| Keywords: | Fisheries; marine resources; property rights; trade and environment; WTO |
| JEL: | F18 Q20 Q22 Q56 |
| Date: | 2009–11–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0393&r=env |
| By: | Joana Resende (CORE - Center for Operations Research and Econometrics - Université Catholique de Louvain, CETE - University of Porto); Maria Eugénia Sanin (CORE - Center for Operations Research and Econometrics - Université Catholique de Louvain, Department of Economics, Ecole Polytechnique - CNRS : UMR7176 - Polytechnique - X) |
| Abstract: | In this paper we account for the fact that Cournot equilibrium strategies in the sector under environmental regulation depend on firms'interaction in the permits market (and vice versa). In this context, we show that the cost-effective allocation of permits between firms must compensate the cost-rising strategies exercised by the stronger firm (in the output market). Then, taking into account the previous result, we use a simulation to obtain the optimal allocation of permits between firms as a function of output market characteristics, in particular as a function of goods substitutability that serves as an indicator for the de- gree of price competition. The simulation allows us to determine how output market characteristics affect differently optimal permit allocation depending on the regulator's objective. |
| Date: | 2009–12–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00437645_v1&r=env |
| By: | Jean-Francois FAGNART (CEREC, Facultes universitaires Saint-Louis, Brussels and Department of Economics, Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain- la-Neuve.); Marc GERMAIN (EQUIPPE, Universite de Lille 3 and Department of Economics, Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve) |
| Abstract: | We propose an endogenous growth model of a decentralized economy subject to environmental constraints. In a basic version, we consider an economy where final production requires some material input and where research activities allow simultaneously productive firms to reduce the dependency of their production process on this input and to improve the quality of their output. We adopt a material balance approach and, in spite of the optimistic assumption that the material input is perfectly recyclable (and thus never exhausted), we show that material output growth is always a transitory phenomenon. When it exists, a balanced growth path is necessarily characterized by constant values of the material variables, long term economic growth taking exclusively the form of perpetual improvements in the quality of consumption goods. The material esource constraint is not solely a long term issue since it is also shown to affect the whole transitory dynamics of the (material) growth process. Renewable energy is introduced in an extension of our basic model. This extension does not affect qualitatively the features of a feasible balanced growth path but make its conditions of existence more restrictive. |
| Keywords: | material balance, endogenous growth, recycling |
| JEL: | E1 Q0 Q56 |
| Date: | 2009–10–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ctl:louvir:2009037&r=env |
| By: | Birgit Müller (Department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany); Martin Quaas (Department of Economics, University of Kiel, Germany); Karin Frank (Department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany); Stefan Baumgärtner (Department of Sustainability Sciences, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany) |
| Abstract: | Rain-index insurance is strongly advocated in many parts of the developing world to help farmers to cope with climatic risk that prevail in (semi-)arid rangelands due to low and highly uncertain rainfall. We present a modeling analysis of how the availability of rain-index insurance affects the sustainability of rangeland management. We show that a rain-index insurance with frequent payos, i.e. a high strike level, leads to the choice of less sustainable grazing management than without insurance available. However, a rain-index insurance with a low to medium strike level enhances the farmer's well-being while not impairing the sustainability of rangeland management. |
| Keywords: | ecological-economic modeling, weather-index insurance, Namibia, grazing management, risk, sustainability, weather-based derivatives |
| JEL: | D81 G22 Q14 Q56 Q57 |
| Date: | 2009–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lue:wpaper:149&r=env |
| By: | Fischer, Carolyn (Resources for the Future (RFF),); Muchapondwa, Edwin (Department of Economics, University of Zimbabwe); Sterner, Thomas (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University) |
| Abstract: | This paper formulates a bioeconomic model to analyze community incentives for wildlife management under benefit-sharing programs like the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) in Zimbabwe. Two agents influence the wildlife stock: a parks agency determines hunting quotas, and a local community chooses to either aid or discourage outside poachers. Wildlife generates revenues from hunting licenses and tourism; it also intrudes on local agriculture. We consider two benefit-sharing regimes: shares of wildlife tourism rents and shares of hunting licenses. Resource sharing does not necessarily improve community welfare or incentives for wildlife conservation. Results depend on the exact design of the benefit shares, the size of the benefits compared with agricultural losses, and the way in which the parks agency sets hunting licenses.<p> |
| Keywords: | bioeconomic; CAMPFIRE; community; poaching; wildlife; benefit sharing |
| JEL: | H41 Q20 |
| Date: | 2009–12–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0410&r=env |
| By: | Oniang'o, Ruth |
| Keywords: | Food, Nutrition, Food emergencies, food security, Hunger, malnutrition, Disease, Risk assessment, HIV/AIDS, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:909&r=env |
| By: | Luc DOYEN (CNRS - CERSP); Jean-Christophe PEREAU (GREThA UMR CNRS 5113) |
| Abstract: | It is well known that the non-cooperation among agents harvesting a renewable resource is critical for its sustainable management. The present paper gives insights on the complex balance between coalitions structure, resource state or dynamics and agents’ heterogeneity to avoid bio-economic collapses. A model bringing together coalition games and a viability approach is proposed to focus on the compatibility between bio-economic constraints and an exploited common stock dynamics. It is examined to what extent cooperation promotes sustainability. Based on the Shapley value, a measure of the marginal contribution of the users to the sustainability of the resource is proposed. It suggests that the stability of the grand coalition occurs for large enough stocks. By contrast, for lower levels of resource, the most efficient user plays the role of a dictator. |
| Keywords: | Renewable resource, dynamic game, coalition, maxmin strategy, shapley value, viability kernel |
| JEL: | Q20 |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:grt:wpegrt:2009-15&r=env |
| By: | Katrin Millock (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - CNRS : UMR8174 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - Paris I) |
| Abstract: | Ce texte résume l'expérience de la taxe carbone en Suède : son efficacité environnementale, ses effets distributifs, et les recettes générées par le dispositif. |
| Keywords: | taxe carbone, émissions de CO2, taxation énergie, politique environnementale, instruments économiques, |
| Date: | 2009–06–17 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:cesptp:halshs-00433906_v1&r=env |
| By: | Hazell, Peter B.R. |
| Keywords: | millions fed, Green Revolution, agricultural transformation, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:911&r=env |
| By: | Kassie, Menale (Environmental Economics Policy Forum for Ethiopia, Ethiopian Development Research Institute); Pender, John (International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC); Yesuf, Mahmud (Environmental Economics Policy Forum for Ethiopia, Ethiopian Development Research Institute); Köhlin, Gunnar (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University); Mulugeta, Elias (International Livestock Research Institute) |
| Abstract: | Land degradation has been one of the major areas of concern in Ethiopia. Governments and development agencies have invested substantial resources to promote land management technologies and reduce land degradation. However, there is little understanding of the impacts that land management technologies have on yield and yield variability. This paper investigates the impact of stone bunds on mean yield and variance of yield, using multiple plot observations per household in low- and highrainfall areas of the Ethiopian highlands. Our analysis incorporated the propensity score matching method, stochastic dominance analysis, and exogenous and endogenous switching regression methods. We found statistically significant and positive impact of stone bunds on yield in low-rainfall areas. This did not hold in high-rainfall areas. We did not find a statistically significant stone-bund impact on production risk in either high- or low-rainfall areas. The results were robust to both parametric and nonparametric analysis. The overall conclusion from the analysis is that the performance of stone bunds varies by agro-ecology type. This implies the need for designing and implementing appropriate technologies that enhance productivity and are better adapted to local conditions.<p> |
| Keywords: | Switching regression; stochastic dominance; propensity score matching; stone bunds; yield; yield risk; Ethiopia |
| JEL: | C35 O33 Q15 Q24 |
| Date: | 2009–11–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0408&r=env |
| By: | Birol, Ekin; Koundouri, Phoebe; Kountouris, Yiannis |
| Keywords: | Aquifer recharge, Treated wastewater, Total economic value, Choice experiment, Long-run cost benefit analysis, Declining discounting, |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fpr:ifprid:908&r=env |
| By: | Markus Groth (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Lehrstuhl für Nachhaltigkeitsökonomie) |
| Abstract: | Marine and permafrost-based methane hydrates are the largest existing fossil carbon resource, whereby the marine deposits far outweigh the terrestrial ones. Their broad geographic distribution, especially in comparison to oil and conventional gas, make them a promising future source of energy. However, there is a danger of forcing the greenhouse effect in the event of a release of methane into the atmosphere as well as causing the collapse of oceanic slope sediments. Also the technical difficulties in extracting methane from hydrates are not yet fully resolved. Nevertheless, research on methane hydrates has been forced both on political as well as economic considerations in recent years and methane hydrates have several practical advantages, which make them a transitional solution worth looking at on the way to a future renewable-based energy supply, not in the least in playing a role in carbon capture and sequestration. However, the knowledge of the potentials and risks of methane hydrates is still very poor, especially in the German-speaking public, administration and policies. This deficiency hopefully will be eased by this overview dealing with the current state of research and an outlook based on the most important findings. |
| Keywords: | CO2-Sequestrierung, Energiepolitik, Erdgas, fossile Energieträger, Klimawandel, Kohlenstoffpotential, Methan, Methanhydrate, Ökologische Ökonomik, Treibhausgas, Versorgungssicherheit |
| JEL: | H00 Q38 Q42 Q48 Q54 |
| Date: | 2009–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:lue:wpaper:147&r=env |
| By: | Nicolas Bouleau (CERMICS - Centre d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Mathématiques, Informatique et Calcul Scientifique - INRIA - Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, CIRED - Centre international de recherche sur l'environnement et le développement - CIRAD : UMR56 - CNRS : UMR8568 - Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) - Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées - Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural des Eaux et Forêts) |
| Abstract: | Nous explicitons ce qui, dans la pensée économique, enfonce irrémédiablement dans le dilemme du prisonnier tel qu'il se pose à propos du changement climatique et de la crise des ressources. Le jeu "un, deux, trois, soleil" est pris comme exemple générique : une course où l'on dit à tout le monde de ralentir mais où le premier arrivé gagne quand même. Ceci permet de faire un tour assez complet des positions, des enjeux et des risques de la négociation post-Kyoto. Notre conclusion est fondée sur l'idée de base qu'il faut de l'argent pour faire bouger les choses. Cela va dans le sens du rapport de septembre 2009 de la Banque Mondiale. |
| Keywords: | GIEC; carbone; club de Rome; réduction; droits négociables; taxe; Cassandre; Keynes; traité de Versailles; pluralisme |
| Date: | 2009–11–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:halshs-00435995_v1&r=env |
| By: | Olivier MASSOL |
| Abstract: | This article studies the cost function for the natural gas transmission industry. 60 years ago, Hollis B. Chenery published an important contribution that demonstrated how, in that particular industry, the production function of microeconomic theory can be rewritten with engineering variables (Chenery, 1949). In 2008, an article published in The Engineering Economist (Yépez, 2008) provided a refreshing revival on Chenery's seminal thoughts. In addition to a tribute to the late H.B. Chenery, this document offers some further comments and extensions on Yépez (2008). It provides a statistically estimated characterisation of the long-run scale economies and a discussion on the short-run economics of the duplication of existing equipments. As a first extension, we study the optimal design for infrastructure that is planned to transport a seasonally-varying flow of natural gas. The second extension analyzes the optimal degree of excess capacity to be built into a new infrastructure by a firm that expects a random rise in its output during the infrastructure's lifetime. |
| Keywords: | natural gas transmission industry, cost function, optimal design for infrastructure |
| Date: | 2009 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mop:credwp:09.09.86&r=env |
| By: | Muchapondwa, Edwin (School of Economics, University of Cape Town); Sterner, Thomas (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University) |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates whether the risk faced by rural farmers in Zimbabwe could poten- tially be managed by using community-based wildlife conservation. Community-based wildlife conservation could be an additional asset in the rural farmers’ investment portfolio thereby potentially diversifying and consequently reducing the risk they face. Such investment could also help e¤orts to conserve wildlife. By making use of national historical data and statistical analysis, this paper …nds that community-based wildlife conservation is a feasible hedge asset for agricultural production in rural Zimbabwe. The bene…ts of diversi…cation into community-based wildlife conservation are likely to be high only in those rural areas that can sustain wildlife pop- ulations su¢cient to generate adequate returns from wildlife activities such as tourism, trophy hunting, live animal sales and meat cropping.<p> |
| Keywords: | CAMPFIRE; diversi…cation; risk management; wildlife conservation; Zimbabwe |
| JEL: | D81 G11 Q29 |
| Date: | 2009–12–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0409&r=env |
| By: | Zeynep K. Hansen; Gary D. Libecap; Scott E. Lowe |
| Abstract: | Greater historical perspective is needed to enlighten current debate about future human responses to higher temperatures and increased precipitation variation. We analyze the impact of climatic conditions and variability on agricultural production in five semi-arid western states. We assemble county-level data on dams and other major water infrastructure; agricultural crop mixes and yields; precipitation and temperature; soil quality, and topography. Using this extensive data set, we analyze the impact of water infrastructure investments on crop mix and yields in affected counties relative to similarly-endowed counties that lack such infrastructure. We find that water infrastructure smoothes agricultural crop production and increases the likelihood of a successful harvest, especially during times of severe drought or excessive precipitation. |
| JEL: | N5 N51 N52 Q25 Q54 |
| Date: | 2009–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:15558&r=env |
| By: | Mayor, Karen; Lyons, Seán; Duffy, David; Tol, Richard S. J. |
| Abstract: | We use a hedonic house price model to estimate the value of green spaces and parks to homeowners in the Dublin area. Using a dataset of house sales between 2001 and 2006 and combining it with available data on the location of green spaces in Dublin it is possible to assess the different values assigned to green areas by homeowners. We find that the value of green space depends first of all on how far from the property it is located. We also find a difference in the values assigned to open access parks and green spaces. For every 10% increase in the share of green space and park area near a house, its average price increases by 7% to 9%. We also attempted to identify different individual parks and rank them according to their value, however due to spatial multicollinearity the results were mixed. |
| Keywords: | green spaces/hedonic regression/Ireland/urban parks |
| Date: | 2009–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:esr:wpaper:wp331&r=env |
| By: | Anthonsen, Mette (The Quality of Government Institute, Department of Political Science University of Gothenburg); Löfgren, Åsa (Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University); Nilsson, Klas (Department of Political Science University of Gothenburg) |
| Abstract: | This paper introduces quality of government rather than regime type as dependent variable in studies of the political effects of natural resources. It consists of two parts. First, it theorizes the role of fiscal dependency of oil and gas rents in relation to three different dimensions of quality of government; low corruption, bureaucratic quality and legal impartiality. Second, it finds significant, negative effects of oil and gas rent dependency on all three dimensions of quality in a sample of 139 states in the period 1984 to 2006. The results hold for inclusion of control variables such as regime type, income, region and religion.<p> |
| Keywords: | Oil; gas; corruption; bureaucracy; legal impartiality; large-N |
| JEL: | N50 O13 O43 P48 Q34 |
| Date: | 2009–12–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:gunwpe:0415&r=env |
| By: | Bandyopadhyay, Subhayu (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis); Bhaumik, Sumon K. (Brunel University); Wall, Howard J. (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis) |
| Abstract: | We present a general equilibrium analysis of biofuel subsidies in an open-economy context. In the small-country case, when a Pigouvian tax on conventional fuels such as crude is in place, the optimal biofuel subsidy is zero. When the tax on crude is not available as a policy option, however, a second-best biofuel subsidy (or tax) is optimal. In the large-country case, the optimal tax on crude departs from its standard Pigouvian level and a biofuel subsidy is optimal. A biofuel subsidy spurs global demand for food and confers a terms-of-trade benefit to the food-exporting nation. This might encourage the food-exporting nation to use a subsidy even if it raises global crude use. The food importer has no such incentive for subsidization. Terms-of-trade effects wash out between trading nations; hence, any policy intervention by the two trading nations that raises crude use must be jointly suboptimal. |
| Keywords: | optimal biofuel subsidy, Pigouvian tax, terms-of-trade, pollution externality |
| JEL: | F1 H2 O1 |
| Date: | 2009–11 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4584&r=env |